


The Black Cat

by iamremington



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Akaashi is a loner, Angst, Anxiety, Depression, I'll add more tags as I need them, Kenma is a loner, M/M, Non-Consensual Touching, Rating may go up, Self-Harm, They're liars, genderfluid!Akaashi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-04-11
Updated: 2016-05-13
Packaged: 2018-06-01 14:23:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 4
Words: 8,474
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6523744
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/iamremington/pseuds/iamremington
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Kenma runs his own business but no one knows, thanks to Akaashi. He'd like to keep it that way, but the world isn't too happy with that plan.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. They won't see a thing

He stared at his screen for a moment before selecting all of the text and deleting it. Sighing, he ran a hand through his hair and frowned at the greasiness. _When was the last time I took a shower? When was the last time I actually ate something?_

Right then, the door to his room swung and the figure that intended to walk in stepped back, their nose crinkling slightly in disgust.

“Kozume-san, when did you last leave this room?” The dark-haired person quickly crossed the room and pushed back curtains to the only window in the room. Kenma didn't want a room without a window because no window meant no sunlight to bother him, but Keiji had insisted on a window. _To let a breeze in every now and then. It will clear the head._

Kenma moved into four months ago and this was the first time it was being opened. If Kenma had anything to do with it, it would be the last. _Maybe I can have someone glue it shut while Keiji is away._

He turned back to his laptop to start typing again when his chair was suddenly swiveled around and a stack of clothes shoved into his arms.

“Go take a shower. I’ll prepare a meal during that time,” Keiji told him.

They walked out of the room after that and Kenma turned towards the shower. Most people, upon seeing how they acted towards each other, would say that Kenma and Keiji didn’t like each other. They would comment how sad it was that they were forced to work together.

The truth couldn't be more of the opposite though. Keiji was Kenma’s best friend and Kenma was Keiji’s best friend. Each person held high respect for the other person. They didn’t see the use to use more words than necessary when conversing. Small talk was not something either could pull off and neither really had friends other than each other, so gossip was not a topic they indulged in.

Kenma trudged inside of bathroom, quickly disposing of his clothes. As an afterthought he remembered to put them away in the dirty clothes hamper Keiji had provided. _I would like not to have to pick up your clothes up from the floor Kozume-san. Please use this in the future._

Turning the nozzle for the water, he held his hand under the stream and waited for it to warm up before pulled a switch to turn on the shower. Kenma stepped under the spray and audibly sighed as the warm water slowly washed away the tension in his shoulders.

Reaching down for the shampoo, he poured a glob onto his hand and furiously scrubbed at his hair. For a moment or two, Kenma could have sworn that he felt a little lighter after washing the suds out. He did the same with his body, swearing that he lost almost three pounds after rinsing the body wash off.

Even though the water felt great on his skin, Kenma stepped out of the shower. He never understood why people took 30 minutes to an hour in the shower. Hit the important spots and get out.

After toweling off, Kenma picked up the stack of clothes Keiji had given him and slipped into the sweats and t-shirt. He actually didn’t own much else, but it was still nice that Keiji had gotten his favorite sweats.

He padded into the kitchen and Keiji was setting the table. He tried to peek at the stove, but the pot was covered.

“You can have dessert after your meal Kozume-san,” Keiji said and made a motion for him to go sit down.

After he took a seat, Keiji brought the pot to the table and promptly uncovered it – sticky rice.

“I chose this because I assume you haven’t eaten since I was last here and I don’t want to upset your stomach will anything extravagant. I did bring apple pie for dessert though. You can only have that if you finish all of your rice,” they said.

Kenma thought for a moment, then nodded. He glanced at the calendar that Keiji kept on the wall and it said today was Friday. Keiji had come Tuesday. So, he hadn’t remembered to shower or eat or leave his bedroom since then. He always got a little too wrapped up in his work.

“I apologize for not being able to come for the last two days. Something went wrong with the air conditioning in my apartment and my complex manager asked me to wait on the repair man,” Keiji said.

Kenma nodded and watched the man as he doled out rice into their respective bowls and poured them both a glass of chilled chai tea. They bowed their heads and after murmuring, “Itadakimasu,” they picked up their chopsticks and began eating.

At first, Keiji had protested about eating with Kenma. But, after seeing his face when he asked, Keiji quickly agreed and the tradition of having dinner together every other night continued.

Kenma once asked Keiji if it was troubling to eat with him so much. Kenma told him that if Keiji was canceling plans to eat with Kenma, he needed to stop immediately. Just because he was a shut-in didn’t mean Keiji needed to be, but the look Keiji had given him told him otherwise.

After that, he stopped prying into the other’s life.

Kenma snapped out of his reverie and took a sip of his drink Keiji cleared their throat, causing Kenma to look up at him.

“How are you progressing on the Sawamura account?”

Kenma winced and asked, “Can we not talk about that tonight?” Keiji nodded and pointed to the calendar.

“That’s fine. The deadline is two months from tonight exactly. I’ve marked it on the calendar. How is the Asahi account coming?”

“I have it done,” Kenma confirmed.

Keiji nodded, but did not smile. They rarely did, but their eyes softened a bit, so Kenma knew they were pleased.

“I will text him then. I know it’s late, but he asked me to let him know as soon as I knew it was finished,” Keiji said.

“How is the Yachi account?”

“That’s done as well.”

“She asked to be notified upon completion as well,” they said. “How do you feel they turned out?”

Kenma was silent for a moment before nodding. “I believe I did well. For the Yachi account, I was only creating a logo. For the Asahi account, I created a logo, but a few flyers and social media graphics.”

Kenma finished off his rice and Keiji followed suit. He’d get the pie later as a late night snack.

Padding back into his bedroom, he noted that was a slight stink, but it was disappearing thanks to the open window. He sat down and jiggled his mouse a little, waking the screen up.

"Azumane-san said he would like to see the graphics now. Would you be comfortable with a Skype session?” Keiji asked. Kenma shrugged.

“That’s if he is. The graphics were meant for social media anyways. Let me explain them to you quickly.”

Kenma went through a quick run-through of Azumane’s requests, how he answered them, and anything extra he added. He attached the documents to an e-mail and clicked send just as Azumane's name popped up on the screen, calling for a video call.

Wordlessly, Kenma stood and sat down next to the desk, out of the camera’s line of sight. Keiji sat down and reached up to peel off the sticky note covering the camera before they accepted the request.


	2. Call me Kozume

Akaashi had the weekends off. Officially anyways. They would check in with Kenma at least once a day in person and several times over text and email.

Kenma was thankful for Akaashi, he really was. It wasn’t that he purposefully skipped meals or showers. Kenma just focused in on his work so much he would forget. If it wasn’t for Akaashi, Kenma probably wouldn’t have his business.

~

Much of Kenma’s knowledge of computers was gained through his high school career. He had more than enough free time and he loved video games, so learning to code was as natural as learning to breathe. Learning to code and create images afterwards was just happened.

College wasn’t his first plan of action, but he shortly found out that he would need to continue his education. Well, he wanted to continue his education. He could offer his services as is and people would pay. Kenma was good at what he did, but he knew there was so much he didn’t know. He could gather the knowledge on his own, but getting a special education would be much faster.

To get a degree in Information Technology, his classes were scientific and Kenma did not need to interact with other. His classmates didn’t want interaction either, so it was an ideal situation for Kenma.

But, he also wanted a degree in Graphic Design. Those students seemed to love interaction and bonding. Kenma was a loner and preferred silence. So, while he enjoyed what he learned in the classes, he did not enjoy the environment.

It was in one of those classes that he met Akaashi Keiji. Kenma was in his sophomore year and had signed up for a typography class. By design, he showed up for any class two minutes before it started. Five minutes before and only a couple people were in the classroom. He was noticed. If he showed up directly on time, the room was full. People noticed him and he had to find a seat. Showing up late was out of the question.

Today, Kenma showed up at the same time and expected no one to be sitting around him. But, there was a dark-haired man sitting to the left of Kenma’s computer. His laptop was already on and he was completing the project the class was assigned.

Kenma silently sat down and hoped this man wouldn’t speak to him. On Kenma’s right, a very tall man with silver hair and an extremely energetic personality sat. For some reason, he had taken a liking to Kenma and loved to talk to him. Constantly. If Kenma was honest thought, Lev had a good heart and good intentions, but Kenma didn’t want any friends. And Lev was exhausting.

He began powering up his own laptop and was slightly startled when the man to his left spoke in a low whisper.

“I apologize Kenma-san, for sitting next to you so abruptly. But, the girls that sat around me were so chatty,” he said.

Kenma stared for a moment before returning his gaze to his own screen. He liked working in silence, but having Lev next to him usually wrecked that. He had learned to tune him out and there was a small man on Lev’s right that would, albeit violently, quieted the giant when he got too rowdy.

Kenma did feel a little guilty about not knowing the man on his left’s name, but the man hadn’t continued speaking or offered it, so Kenma wasn’t going to press. Besides, they probably wouldn’t run into each other any other time.

Lev was absent today, so the class went by rather smoothly. After an hour, the instructor dismissed them. Kenma closed his laptop and left.

For the next few weeks, the same routine ensued and Kenma fell into a comfortable habit. He would show up to class two minutes before it started. Lev would sit on his right and the dark-haired man sat on his left. Kenma still didn’t know his name, he was always thinking about something else when the instructor called roll, but that was alright. If words were ever shared between them, the dark-haired man always spoke and Kenma just nodded.

Lev came every day after he missed, this class meeting three days a week for one hour. He was as energetic as ever and Kenma suspected he’d even grown a couple more inches. But, the small man on Lev’s right kept him under control. Kenma was actually starting to enjoy the actual class, but a usual, something had to go and ruin his fun like it always did when he seemed to be happy. This time around, his dementor was the professor.

“For our next project, I want you all to work in pairs. You’ve done everything up until now and your own and you’ve all done splendidly. This time, I want you to collaborate with someone since their ideas won’t be exactly yours. I’ll give you five minutes to find a partner and then I’ll explain the project,” she said, clapping her hands together excitedly.

Kenma winced.

_Why’d I have to go into design? I should’ve stuck with code only. I can work alone there._

He seriously contemplated dropping the class.

“Kenma-san, would you mind partnering up with me?" the man asked.

He was about to nod, Kenma preferred to work alone but would rather work with a semi-acquaintance than a stranger, when Lev answered for him.

"Oh, thank you Akaashi-san! I could decide between Kenma-san or Yaku-san. You've made my life so much easier," he exclaimed.

Lev earned a slap from Yaku and a "Who said I would work with you?"

Kenma looked back up to the dark-haired man - no Akaashi - and nodded. Akaashi simply turned back to his own screen as the professor explained the project.

She let them out early and Kenma internally groaned. He hated disruptions and she had disrupted his routine. Twice.

"Kenma-san, this is a fairly simple project. Would you like me to meet you somewhere to work on this?" Akaashi asked.

For the first time, Kenma really looked at him. Akaashi was, for a lack of a better word, beautiful. His skin was pale, but more porcelain instead of ghastly. It was clear of any blemishes. He had short hair that was so brown it was almost black and it was tousled so perfectly it was bordering on bedhead. His eyes were a deep gray with flecks of green and they were only half open. He had a petite but sharp nose and cheekbones that were sharp, but not sharp enough to cut. His mouth was turned down, but into an expression of exhaustion instead of a frown. His entire face looked angry at a glance, but upon closer inspection, it just looked like indifference.

"We could meet at my apartment, if you'd like," Kenma whispered. "I have my own apartment, so no one will bother us and we will have room to spread out."

Akaashi nodded and pulled out his phone, handing it to Kenma.

"Would you put your contact information in my phone?" Akaashi asked, his voice monotone.

Kenma blinked at him. Beyond legal forms, when was the last time he had given out his number?

He took the phone and after a few taps, handed it back. Akaashi took it and after a few taps of his own Kenma's phone beeped.

"Kenma-san, would you like me to message you about a time to come over or would you like to message me?" Akaashi asked.

"It would be better if you messaged me," he replied.

Akaashi nodded and stood, his laptop already packed up.

"You'll hear from me soon Kenma-san," Akaashi said.

He walked out of the room and after a moment, Kenma followed. This project already sucked, but maybe his partner wouldn't.

 

Two hours later, Kenma's phone beeped again.

**[Kenma-san, this is Akaashi Keiji. When would be a good time to meet?]**

[When are you free?]

**[I am free for the rest of the evening today or were you asking about another day?]**

[Today. Can you meet me at the Seijoh Cafe?]

For a moment, the messages stopped. Kenma blinked at his phone's screen. Was that not a good place to meet? He was about to suggest another place when his phone beeped.

**[I apologize Kenma-san. There was a commotion in the cafe. I am already here. Do you live near by?]**

[I live in the apartments directly across the street. Would you mind coming to apartment 404?]

**[Give me a few minutes.]**

Kenma put his phone down and rubbed his face with a sigh. He didn't really want anyone in his apartment, but he didn't feel like trying to work somewhere else. Not that he had a problem with Akaashi. He would rather just not have anyone over.

A light knock sounded on his door and Kenma blinked. When was the last time someone had come over? Was this the first time? Two more followed shortly after and he crossed the room to open the door.

The person in his doorway was definitely Akaashi, but not the Akaashi Kenma saw in class.

This Akaashi wore a high-waisted black skirt the fell a few inches below the knee. They wore a billowy long sleeved white shirt blouse that was tucked into the skirt and tightly wrapped around their wrists. They wore a pair of small heels that buckled around the ankle and while their hair remained the same length, their hair was adorned with a silver leaf headband. Their lips were a dark red-almost-brown and Kenma could see a light dusting of gray around the eyes.

"Hello Kenma-san. How are you this evening?" they asked. 

Kenma shrugged and Akaashi nodded.

"May I come in Kenma-san?" they asked.

He moved out of the way and allowed Akaashi to walk into the apartment. They bent down to unlatch their shoes and place them by the door.

"If you don't mind Kenma-san, I would like to get started on this project. Where can I put my things?" Akaashi asked.

"My desktop is in my room. We'll work in there," he replied.

Kenma led the way, not bothered by the fact that his room was a disaster zone. He just moved to his chair and motioned for a place for Akaashi to set their laptop up. They scanned the room.

"Kenma-san, may I have something to drink?" they asked. 

Kenma didn't respond, but simply got up and left the room. He didn't have another office chair, so he'd have to slide in a dining chair. But, he'd grab something to drink first.

"Would coke with ice be okay? Or do you want something else?"

"Coke with ice would be lovely," they replied. "Thank you Kenma-san."

Kenma grabbed a couple of glasses, the only clean ones, and shuffled over to the freezer to get some ice. He glanced towards his room when he heard a noise, but just figured Akaashi was dropping their laptop bag or moving something around. 

Kenma drained two cans of soda into the glasses before heading back and snagging a chair.

He stopped in the doorway of his room. There were no clothes on his floor. The bed was made. All of his loose papers had been gathered and neatly stacked atop his nightstand. There was a smell of something floral in the air. Kenma just looked at Akaashi as he handed them their drink and chair.

"I hope you don't mind me straightening up Kenma-san. I just cannot work in a disorganized area", they said.

Kenma stared at his room for a moment longer. _When was the last time I saw my carpet?_

 

As predicted, Kenma and Akaashi only needed a couple meetings to finish the project and, to no one's surprise, they aced it.

But, Akaashi kept coming over. At first, it was to make sure his room was clean. Then, it was to make sure his dishes were washed. Then, to make sure he had groceries and was eating properly. The check-ups slowly became longer and longer as Akaashi brought books over to read and homework to complete. They barely spoke, but the silence between them was comfortable.

One evening, Akaashi came in and immediately senses something was wrong.  Kenma's bag was thrown on the floor, the contents spilling out. His laptop was on the dining room table and shut. They crossed the room and noticed the computer hadn't even been turned on. They'd bought Kenma an apple pie last night and it was still sitting on the counter, sealed shut.

Little pangs of panic were starting to shoot though their stomach, but Akaashi pushed it away. They headed towards the bedroom and as soon as they opened the door, the smelt the sharp smells of blood and salt. Akaashi spotted a lump in the covers that would periodically shudder.

They cleared their throat, making their presence known.

"Kenma-san, it's Akaashi Keiji. I just wanted to check in with you. Class was canceled today, but you didn't answer my earlier text," they said calmly. "How are you? I am coming closer, but I will not remove the covers."

Akaashi slowly crossed the room, pushing his weight down and stomping his socks more than necessary. He wanted to make sure Kenma-san heard his steps.

"I am going to sit on the edge of the bed now, but I will not touch you," they said.

They sat down, the bed sagging a little under them, and Kenma curled into a tighter ball, but Akaashi did not touch him. They were not much of a talker and, neither was Kenma, but they started slowly talking, filling the silence. They talked about their other classes and how they were doing in them. They told Kenma was they were studying in college and what they were getting a degree for. Akaashi told Kenma about a new eye shadow palette they purchased. They told him about their insane love for owls and told him about an owl sanctuary nearby they loved to visit.

It could have been for minutes or four ours, but they just talked. Akaashi looked over and thought Kenma had fallen asleep, but the loud grumble of the blond man's stomach made his smile.

"Would you like me to fix you something to eat Kenma-san?" Akaashi asked.

The lump nodded.

"Do you need to get cleaned up before dinner?" he asked.

The lump nodded.

"Can you do it by yourself?"

There was a hesitation before the lump nodded again. Akaashi stood.

"I'll be back to fetch you once dinner is ready. I am leaving your bedroom door open and I am going to ask you to leave the bathroom door open," they instructed before leaving for the kitchen.

Kenma waited until he was certain they'd left before peeling the covers back.

His golden eyes were bloodshot and his face was swollen. His lips were chapped and his nose was raw. His fingernails were already short, but were now bitten down to the quick and the edges were jagged. His nails were covered in skin and blood. Kenma's arms, legs, and stomach were covered in ugly scratches. All had bled, but were now dry and sore.

Kenma blinked at the ceiling and contemplated staying in bed, but a warm aroma wafted into his room. _Oh right. Akaashi is here. They're making dinner._

He pushed himself off the bed, wincing as the dried blood stretched and scratched reopened. Slowly standing, he collected a small pile of clothes Akaashi had left out for him and padded into the bathroom.

Kenma turned on the shower and as the water warmed, he undressed. Some of his clothing stuck to the scratches, so pulling them off reopened more scratches.

When he stepped under the warm spray, Kenma winced as stings sang across his skin. Kenma quickly washed his hair and body before stepping back out. He stood on the plush carpet for a moment, trembling at the screams of his skin.

He slowly got dresses and disdainfully looked in the mirror as he took in the shorts and tank top Akaashi had picked out for him. He could almost see all of the angry marks covering his skin.

Kenma walked back into his room and snagged his game boy before sitting down gingerly in the office chair. The room was soon filled with sounds of digital battle. He let himself get lost in the game and it seemed like seconds passed before Akaashi walked in. They cleared their throat, calling for Kenma's attention.

"Dinner is ready Kenma-san. But, I would like to clean up some of the marks first. Would you allow me to?" Akaashi asked.

Kenma hesitated, then nodded slowly. Akaashi slowly walked towards him, softly thumping his sneakers on the carpet, a first aid kit in their hand. They knelt in front of Kenma and pulled out a few alcoholic wipes.

"I know you just took a shower, but I am going to clean your skin. Then, I am going to put ointment on the marks and bandage what I can. Is that okay?" they asked.

Kenma nodded.

"This will sting a big," Akaashi warned.

They touched Kenma with the wipe and he hissed quietly. Akaashi didn't didn't falter in their rhythm. Kenma watched their ministrations. It was almost hypnotic. He was soon covered in bandages and Akaashi was looking at him. He stood, motioned for the blond to follow. He quickly wrapped his stomach after asking Kenma to pull it up.

"I made plain white rice and tea Kenma-san," they said. "I didn't want to upset your stomach, so I stuck with a simple meal."

They walked out of the room, Akaashi behind Kenma. He sat down and Akaashi placed a bowl and cup in front of him.

Both ate in a comfortable silence, Akaashi silently watching Kenma as he ate. Akaashi was the first to break the silence.

"Pardon me Kenma-san," they said before standing. "I am going to the restroom."

After a moment, Kenma heard the rustle of sheets. He stood and walked towards his room, stopping at the doorway. Akaashi had stripped his bed and sprayed something floral.

They turned when they felt Kenma's presence.

"Do you need something Kenma-san?"

"Kozume. Call me Kozume."

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so sorry that took so long. Finals have been killing me! I'll try to update within the next week, but I keep no promises.


	3. Call me Keiji

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Check this art, THAT MY BEST FRIEND DID, out: http://arierruu.tumblr.com/image/143916316415

Kenma's skin was starting to heal, the marks disappearing one by one without a trace. He hadn't scratched deep enough to leave scars and Akaashi came by almost every day to redo his bandages and ointment.

For once, Kenma had woke up before noon. He'd gotten a shower, made some cereal (even though he was performing miracles, cooking just took so much effort), and attempted to tidy up. It was Friday, so Akaashi would be coming over as soon as their classes ended.

But, the clock struck eleven and Kenma heard nothing. No call. No text. No email.

The clock hit twelve and still, nothing.

The clock hit one and still, nothing.

He raised his thumb to his mouth and started to nibble. What was keeping them? They were always on time.

Kenma shuffled around his kitchen nervously and glanced at his clock again. 1:30 pm. He looked at his fridge, biting his lip.

Akaashi was a prepared and careful person, so careful they had neatly written down their address on a piece of paper and stuck it to his fridge. They both hoped it was never needed. But, Akaashi was late and Kenma didn't have a good feeling about it.

He sighed as he moved to his closet. Going out was a pain. He managed to get to school, but just barely. He couldn't stand being crushed in a crowd of people as he walked down the sidewalk. He couldn't stand having to sit or stand so close to someone on the train. People didn't see him and got inside his space without permission.

He pulled on a red hoodie and slipped on a pair of sneakers before putting his game boy and cellphone in his pocket. Kenma put his headphones on and turned up his music before taking a deep breath. He gave the door a glare and took another deep breath before stepping out.

Leaving the apartment was uneventful, but once he stepped outside… that was a different world. The streets of Tokyo were bustling with people and Kenma had to brace himself before stepping over the curb. Instantly, he was swept into the current and he headed towards the train station.

No one tried to speak to Kenma as he made his way to the train, so he considered it at least an okay trip. He didn’t care for all of the people that were crushing him from every side, but he had thankfully remembered to put his headphones before leaving the house. Noise still seeped in, but it wasn’t as overwhelming as it could have been. Kenma bought his ticket and boarded the train with ease. As always though, the train was crowded and Kenma was pushed against a bunch of strangers.

_I did not think this through. I did not think this through. I did not –_

Just then, Kenma felt a hand slide up the back of his thigh and grope his butt. He squirmed to turn around and smack the offensive hand away, but couldn’t move because everyone squeezed around him.

The foreign hand just continued to knead his flesh when he felt another sliding across his thigh to his stomach. Kenma froze. He should call out for help, but that would mean people looking at him. People would talk to him. They might stop the pervert, but they could turn him into the police. The police would question Kenma.

An uneasy feeling started rising in his stomach and Kenma felt his palms start to sweat. He could feel his pulse pounding in his head. The hand was starting to pull up his hoodie and Kenma’s skin burned where the hand made contact with his skin. Tears started to form in his eyes and he just squeezed them shut. Kenma clinched his fists and his ragged nails bit into his skin.

_As long as I don’t make any noise, he’ll do what he wants and leave. I can do this._

Just as he had accepted his fate, both of the offending hands stopped at the same time. The one on his butt was removed rather quickly. Kenma’s eyes snapped open and his head swiveled to the left. Kenma was meet with a black shirt and he could see one of the guy’s hands roughly gripping the offender’s hand against his chest.

“What do you think you’re doing to him?”

Kenma had to tilt his hand back to find a face to pair with the voice. The first thing his eyes were drawn to was the gravity-defying bed hair. How did he even get it to stand up like that?

“I asked you a question. What. Are. You. Doing?”

The pervert’s eyes widened even more, if that was possible, and visibly shrank as the man’s voice grew angrier. The grip on his wrist tightened and he let out a small squeak.

“I-I-I am s-sorry,” the pervert squeaked.

It was right then that the train halted and the doors slid open. Kenma didn’t even wait to hear what the man with bed hair said to him. He needed to go. Now.

Kenma’s hands shook as he pulled out the paper with Akaashi’s address. It wasn’t too far from where he was. Maybe a block over if he remembered correctly, but it had been quite a while since he was over this way. He slid the paper back into his pocket and clenched his fists again as he started walking.

His skin was burning and crawling from where the man hand touched him. He wanted to throw up and scratch at his skin until he didn’t feel the fingers crawling over his flesh like worms. But, he had to see Akaashi. He had to make sure they were okay first.

Kenma took a shaky breath and was about to take a step forward when he felt a hand on his back. He sharply turned around and hissed, his face scrunching up and eyes sharpening.

“Do not touch me!” Kenma whispered sharply.

It was the bed hair man. He actually took a step back and held up his hands. Kenma could see emotions running around in the one eye he could see and he did not like it.

The man’s mouth moved and Kenma lowered the volume of the music.

“I just wanted to see if you were okay. You seemed to be looking for somewhere. Perhaps I could take you there?” he asked.

“I do not need your help. I do not need anyone’s help. I just need Akaashi,” Kenma spat and turned on his heel to walk away.

He turned up his music and drowned out the crowd around him.

The address was burned into his mind now and his eyes only barely flickered up to see what street he was on. _Raven Street._ Kenma glanced to his left and saw the sign to Akaashi’s apartment building, Seijoh Apartments and almost bolted up the steps to the front door.

He walked in and glanced back at the paper. Akaashi lived in apartment 403. He hurried into the elevator, eagerly hoping it would shut before anyone else could step on. Kenma pressed the button for the fourth floor and almost cheered for the doors to close.

The doors closed before anyone could step on and he let out a breath he didn’t know he’d been holding. The elevator started moving and he just sank against the wall.

His skin was still crawling and the uneasiness was still in his stomach, but Kenma just pushed them to the back. He had to make sure Akaashi was okay, then he could go back home and cry. And shower. Shower first though.

The elevator beeped as it passed each floor and finally stopped on the fourth. Kenma’s eyes darted around before getting off. _403, 403, 403, 403..._

He made it to the door ad rapped three times in quick succession. _Please be here Akaashi. Please!_

Kenma heard feet shuffling after a few moments and lowered his hand from knocking again.

“Who is it?”

“Kenma Kozume. Is Akaashi Keiji there?” Kenma hurriedly asked. _Please be there Akaashi. I came all this way for you!_

The door opened so quickly that Kenma took a step back in surprise. It was definitely Akaashi that stood in the doorway. It just wasn’t the Akaashi he was used to seeing. The Akaashi he always saw was so put together. The Akaashi seemed to be barely hanging on.

They wore a pair of sweatpants that had holes here and there and was lowly sitting on their hips. They wore a t-shirt so faded Kenma couldn’t read the graphic. Mascara was smudged beneath their eyes and their skin looked ghastly. The bags under their eyes were more prominent and their usual fluffy black hair was matted.

Kenma watched as their eyes flicked up and down the hallway before settling back on him.

“Did you come here alone Kozume-san?” Akaashi asked.

He nodded.

“Would you like to come in? I’m afraid it’s in a small disarray,” they said.

Kenma nodded and stepped forward, Akaashi moving to let him past.

“Why did you come Kozume-san?” Akaashi asked.

Kenma stepped inside and eyed the room warily. By his standards, it was immaculate. But, he knew it was disorganized by Akaashi’s standards. A few blankets were crumpled on the couch, obviously housing a body moments ago. There was a plate and cup on the counter. A chair was not slid under the dining table completely and their jacket was on the floor.

“You didn’t show up. You always show up at 10 on Fridays,” Kenma answered. He looked over to Akaashi while slipping his shoes off.

They had one arm curled around their stomach and was chewing on their bottom lip. Kenma’s heart panged a little. Akaashi was hurting.

“Can we sit down?” Kenma asked.

Akaashi nodded and slowly made their way to the couch, gathering a couple of the blankets to wrap back up in and handing Kenma one. He accepted it and tossed it over his legs after he took a seat.

They sat in silence for a moment before Kenma heard a small sob come from Akaashi. They looked shocked that a sound had escaped from their mouth and squeezed their eyes shut, but Kenma just motioned for them to come closer.

When they did, Kenma tugged until their head was in his lap.

“It’s okay to cry. You don’t have to tell me what’s going on, but it’s okay to cry,” Kenma said and began running his fingers though Akaashi’s hair. It was oily. _When was the last time they took a shower?_

Just like a dam was being broken, Akaashi began crying on Kenma’s lap. He was certain Akaashi tried to speak a couple times, but it just came out as babbles. Kenma didn’t reply, just let Akaashi cry as they wanted. They clutched one hand in the blankets surrounding them and clenched the other in Kenma’s thigh.

His skin was still crawling from earlier and his stomach was still turning, but he pushed it away and focused on the person in his lap. He waited until the sobs lessened before asking a question.

“Have you eaten today Akaashi?” Kenma asked.

They shook their head.

“Would you like something to eat?”

They nodded.

“Would you like to take a bath?”

A nod.

“Can you take it alone?”

Moments passed before they gave a response. Kenma nodded at their answer, then patted their shoulder.

“Let me up so I can go run you one and call you when it’s ready.”

Akaashi slowly pulled themselves off Kenma’s lap and he padded to their bathroom, dialing a number. He could barely cook, but he could order take-out.

He ran the bath water and plundered through Akaashi’s sink cabinet. He remembered Akaashi once telling him about some bath salts they loved because they had a calming smell.

Kenma didn’t know if they went in the water or if they just sat on the tub, so he left the salts out for Akaashi to place as they wanted.

“Akaashi! The water is ready! Come here!” Kenma called.

He heard shuffling of feet and moved to stand. Akaashi walked in the bathroom and Kenma slowly moved towards them, hands outstretched slightly. Akaashi watched him, but only stretched their arms above their head. Kenma tugged the shirt over their head and tossed it behind them before reaching down and pulling their pants down.

Kenma would have refused to do this with anyone else. It was an intimate act, but Akaashi was his best friend. It didn’t even faze him to do this for them.

Akaashi leaned forward and steadied themselves with a hand on Kenma’s shoulder as they carefully stepped out of the pants. He started tugging on their boxers and Akaashi covered his hand with theirs. Kenma nodded and turned.

A few moments later, he heard the splash of them stepping into the water and he turned just as they were sitting down. Kenma bent to roll up his pants and climbed behind them, sitting on the edge. He settled a leg on each side of Akaashi, pulling them back softly to lean against him.

He grabbed a wipe and bent around Akaashi’s shoulder until he saw their face. He gently moved the wipe over their face, taking off the smudged mascara and eyeliner. Once he started, he saw foundation that hadn’t been cried off and scrubbed a little harder to remove it.

“I found the bath salts you mentioned once, the blue ones. But, I don’t know if they go in the water or not so I left them out for you.”

Akaashi reached over and opened the bottle, pouring in his hand and flicking them in the water. Kenma had run a hot bath, so they started dissolving quickly, turning the water a light blue. He stared for a moment, enjoying the smell the salts gave off. He could see why Akaashi found them calming.

“Do you want me to wash your hair, or do you want to relax for a bit?”

There was silence before Akaashi pointed to their shampoo and conditioner. Kenma leaned over and grabbed it, squirting a small pile of it in his hand. He smoothed it over Akaashi’s hair before massaging it into his scalp.

“I’m not too good at talking, like you are.  I can try though.”

Kenma told Akaashi about what he’d eaten earlier and his attempt to pick up his apartment. He told Akaashi how his classes were going. He told them how uncomfortable the train ride was, not going into detail about the actual events, as he rinsed their hair and massaged in a little bit of conditioner.

He rinsed that out and grabbed the pink loofah to start scrubbing their skin. Kenma told them about a new game he’d bought and a new game he had downloaded for his phone.

After he rinsed Akaashi off, Kenma climbed off the tub and opened a towel for Akaashi to step into. Once they did and he’d secured it around their waist, the doorbell rang.

“I can barely cook without burning something, so I ordered some food. I know you like spicy food, but I ordered something a bit gentler for tonight. Would you like to come with me or do you want to stay in your room?”

Akaashi was still for a moment before sliding their hand into Kenma’s.

“I don’t want to be alone,” they said.

Kenma nodded and they padded to the door. As he was reaching for the handle, Kenma felt Akaashi hesitate.

“They’ll see me,” they said in a small voice.

“Why don’t you wait to the side then? You’ll still be able to see me, but they won’t see you,” Kenma said.

Akaashi nodded and let go of Kenma’s hand, stepping to the left of the door. Kenma waited a moment before opening the door.

Standing outside was the man with extreme bed hair and he was holding two bags of food. Kenma sighed.

“It’s you kitten! I wanted to apologize for scaring you earlier,” he said. Kenma just reached out with a hand of cash and took the bags of take-out.

“Keep the change,” he said.

“Do you live here? Can I buy you a cup of coffee sometime in apology?” the man asked.

“No. To both,” Kenma said as he closed the door. Just seeing that man brought back the feeling of uneasiness, but Kenma ignored it.

He looked over to Akaashi and gave a small smile at their questioning eyes. At least some of the exhaustion he’d seen earlier was gone from them.

“It was nothing, promise. Let’s get you dressed, then we’ll eat. Is that okay Akaashi?”

“Kozume-san, would you mind calling me Keiji?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I finally finished this chapter! I should probably add angst to the tags after the last two chapters. 
> 
> I made a huge snafu with names and pronouns in the last two chapters, but I've gone back and fixed them. Please forgive me and let me know if you see anymore discrepancies!
> 
> Let me know what you think in the comments and if you have any requests for something you think I should write, let me know!
> 
> MY BESTEST FRIEND DID A THING AND YOU SHOULD CHECK IT OUT: http://arierruu.tumblr.com/image/143916316415. Akaashi is so pretty and I am so over the moon with the way she drew them!


	4. No. To Both. Again.

It’s not that he minded people knowing what he did. He didn’t care if people knew he was behind the graphics they saw or the code they used. It wasn’t a problem if people knew what he could create.

But, what he did mind was people talking to him and paying him attention. He preferred to stay in the background. He preferred the silence that came with people not knowing.

Kenma looked over to Akaashi as the chat stated.

“Good evening Asahi-sama. I apologize about the lateness of my message, but you directed me to tell you the moment I found out your graphics were completed,” Akaashi said.

The man on the other side of the screen nodded and smiled warmly.

“Thank you so much Akaashi-san! Please give my thanks to Kenma-sama for doing this on such short notice. We did have our own in-house graphic artist, but he suddenly quit and this project was much too important to let just anyone do it,” Asahi said timidly.

Akaashi simply nodded.

“We understand. An e-mail containing the images was sent to you moments prior to this conversation. If you will open them, I will explain what Kenma-sama did,” Akaashi said.

Asahi nodded quickly and opened the e-mail, listening intently as Akaashi perfectly repeated what Kenma told them.

Kenma watched them for a moment before pulling his PSP out of his pants pocket and started it up. He made sure to mute it before starting a new chapter of _Fire Emblem_.

He was soon wrapped up in a fight when he heard Keiji clear their throat. He looked up and the sticky note was once again covering the camera. Kenma paused the game, but remained on the floor.

“Asahi-sama would like to extend his gratitude for completing this project quickly. He also says the images are better than what he expected. He is sending the other half of the promised amount right now,” Akaashi said.

“Yachi-sama replied to my message and she said to just send her the graphics. She is currently on vacation with her wife. I took the liberty of sending them.”

Kenma nodded in reply. He didn’t bother checking his account because he knew Asahi would do just as he said. Even if he didn’t, Kenma wouldn’t be hurt.

Kenma pushed himself off the floor and just wandered to the couch. He once heard that when people complete a project they feel a sense of accomplishment. He felt…nothing. Well, that wasn’t true. He felt relieved that it was over and that he no longer had to deal with it.

He asked himself a few times if this was something he really wanted to do, but he preferred creating graphics and code. With other jobs, he’d have to talk to people.

Akaashi walked out of his room and looked at him.

“Kozume-san, I will be over tomorrow at 2. Please be awake and dressed by 1 o’clock. Thank you for completing the Asahi and Yachi accounts ahead of deadline. Please be aware of the deadline for the Sawamura account,” Akaashi said.

With that, they left. Kenma barely registered the click of the door as his fingers rapidly pressed buttons.

 

When he looked up, the digital clock under his TV read 2:02 am. Kenma blinked and stared back down at his PSP with a blank gaze. He should probably go to sleep now.

Kenma hated going to sleep as much as much as he hated waking up.

With a huff, he got up and made his way to bed. _Akaashi said to be dressed by 1. I can do that…Probably._

 

Kenma groaned loudly at the noise that brought him out of his sleep. It took him a minute to get some orientation of where he was, and another minute to realize the noise that was disturbing him was knocking at his door.

He kept still, hoping it would go away and when it didn’t, he heaved himself out of bed.

He’d given Akaashi a key so they could let themselves in. He glanced at the clock below the TV and it said 12:10.

He stopped in his tracks. Akaashi wasn’t due until 2.

Who was at his door?

Kenma tiptoed to his door and sighed. The peephole was a few inches above his head, so he couldn’t see the noise makers without opening the door. He opened the door as far as the chain would let him and slowly peered out with one eye.

He sucked in a breath and resisted the urge to slam the door. _I barely have any social grace, but that would be rude._

Two years had passed, but he remembered the man from the train perfectly. _And his bed hair. Doesn’t he brush it?_

The man’s gaze shot to him when he opened the door and a grin broke out on his face.

“Hello there. My bro and I are attempting to make these muffins because he has this craving for blueberry muffins. And we don’t have any eggs. I could run to the store, but I thought I’d ask my neighbor first,” the man said. “So, your eye is gorgeous by the way, could we borrow about four eggs?”

Kenma stared at him and considered slamming the door again. It would be okay, right? He had listened to the man’s request. _No Kozume-san. He is just asking for eggs. Give him some._

He winced at the voice of his mental Akaashi and closed his door. He heard a surprised “What”, then a chuckle when he opened the door.

The man’s eyes widened and for the first time that morning, Kenma considered his appearance. The sweats and tee were crumpled from sleep and hanging on him weirdly from twisting in his sleep. His shoulder length hair was mussed horribly, flattened in one spot and flaring in different directions on the other side.

“KITTEN! IT’S YOU!”

The shout started Kenma and he gripped the door handle even tighter.

“If you want eggs, don’t shout in the hallway,” Kenma said.

The man shut his mouth and nodded. Kenma sighed, told himself he was being an idiot, and motioned the man inside. Besides, if this man was really going to kill him, Akaashi would be stopping by. They’d find his body.

Kenma pushed the door shut and stared at the man that now occupied his living room. He seemed to be larger than Kenma remembered. _Duh, it’s been two years genius._ He was about a foot taller than Kenma, probably more, but who wasn’t taller than him? The man had tanned skin and jet black hair that stood at impossible angles. It looked like bed hair, but the man looked too alert and awake to have just woken up.

When he turned, Kenma had the brief mental image of cat. The man’s eyes were a golden color, but they were only slightly open, like when a cat is relaxing. And he was blinking slowly. A slow smirk crossed his face as he took in Kenma staring.

“What’s your name?” Kenma asked.

“Kuroo Tetsurou, neighbor extraordinaire, “he replied. “What’s your name Kitten?”

Kenma just turned and padded to his fridge. He barely ever cooked, so there was a chance there were no eggs, no food actually, but Akaashi had just gone grocery shopping, so there was a chance there was food. 50/50 shot really.

He pulled open the fridge and was welcomed to the sight of a carton. But, that didn’t mean anything. It could be empty. Kenma reached in and flipped the lid.

There were six eggs left.

Kenma closed the carton and pulled it out, handing it to Kuroo without a word.

“Thanks Kitten! Bo will be super happy. This mean we can make the muffins faster,” Kuroo said.

Kenma just started walking towards the door and opened it. Kuroo sauntered toward it, flashing him a grin.

“So, I remember inviting you to coffee once to apologize for being a creep. Now, I want to invite you to lunch for doing me a favor. What do you say Kitten?” Kuroo asked slowly. “By the way, do you live here?”

Kenma shuffled him out into the hallway and grabbed the door handle.

“No. To both. Again.” He shut the door.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's another update! Sorry it's a little shorter than usual, I was having a little bit of a block on what to write. Let me know what you think in the comments!

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much for reading this! I'll be updating when I can, so be on the look out!


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